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X1 E84 (2011 - current) The new to the US BMW X1 will arrive at BMW dealers in the fall of 2012 as a 2013 model year. Get your X1 28i with either sDrive (RWD) or xDrive (AWD) or get the US exclusive I6 N55 powered X1 35i dDrive.

Does anyone have a digitial copy of an X1 manual for non iDrive cars? It appears BMW online only has the iDrive version but I'm reading that people might be able to download their specific cars manual through their online account.

That was quick! But it appears this pdf is the same as the one on bmw's site that only covers the iDrive method of accessing vehicle status/information and not how to access the vechicle information via the left stalk and dash lcd display though.

It's identical to that of the 1er and 3er which use the same software architecture.

With the vehicle but stationary, toggle the switch on the indicator stalk until you reach the desired menu item. Press the BC button to select, and toggle with the switch into further submenus if needed. Is there something you're specifically trying to do?

I've seen videos online with info in iDrive and I wonder if all that same info is available without iDrive using the indicator stalk. I was wanting to check what features were avaiable via the indicator stalk and see what was missing by not having iDrive.

My main concerns are: vehicle information (oil temp, oil level, brake fluid levels, tire info, next services (for fluids, oil, serivices, etc that the iDrive shows as these are often at different mileage points and iDrive shows the various mileages) plus vehicle status, errors, codes, etc and other information that might be useful to get without hooking up a laptop). Such as knowing which tire is low vs a basic "tire problem" indecator on the instrument cluster.

I'm also curious if you can change settings like like the triple turn signal, what options occur on unlock and lock (looks like you can select different lengths and so on in iDrive). Basically what features you can't customize without iDrive or if you can set all these options via the indicator stalk.

I also am wondering if it's possible and what the procedure is for playing back music on a USB stick in the glove box. I'm not sure if you can leave say a 32GB usb stick in there all the time to play music from or if you have to download the contents from a thumb drive or if either of these two options are only available via iDrive. Also I'm interested in how you might navigate your music collection without iDrive using the 2 line radio display, radio buttons, and wheel buttons.

Pretty much most of the functionality is the same in terms of service and user adjustable items. On the X1, there is no indication of engine coolant or oil temperature or brake fluid level.

The engine oil level is roughly the same. Both the picture in iDrive and the electronic dipstick display show minimum, 1/4, 1/4, 3/4, or full once the engine is fully up to operational temperature, which can take anywhere from 10-20km of driving. To access the Board Computer display, toggle the indicator stalk until it reaches the engine oil symbol, then press BC.

For service intervals, the vehicle must be stationary. Toggle until you see the vehicle and "Service" displayed, hit BC to enter the menu. Toggle the switch up/down to display the remaining mileage and/or time, in the order of urgency. The symbols are self-explanatory.

The user preferences are found either under the key memory menu (symbol is a key, duh). These are also accessed when the vehicle is stationary. The 3x turn signal, DRL, pathway lighting timer, lock/unlock settings are all found here. There's also a menu for units so you can switch the Board Computer to the proper units (°C, l/100km, etc...)

Thanks, good to know that most are there. Are there any options missing that are worth noting, other than the obvious nav? Can you play music from a USB stick that's always kept in the glove box and search by artist and album via the radio controls?

So I went to my dealership to test this yesterday. There was a non iDrive on the lot. I turned on the radio and plugged in my android via USB. I clicked on audio then selected the USB input. The small screen in the radio said "loading". After a few minutes there was no change so I unplugged. Not sure if it would have worked had I kept it plugged in but I don't think so.

Connected to my andriod phone and was just keep on loading. But work when connect to mp3 player. It also works with ipad and i suspect with ipod or iphone as well. Also bluetooth doesn't work well with my andriod phone as well. It disconnect as soon as the phone turn to sleep. It did work with my other non smart phone. I guess the smart phone is not so smart after all:o

That's too bad. I planned on using my phone to access my music, navigation and make calls. Hyundai Sonatas that I've rented allow me do this. Assumed it would work on a BMW. Potential solution is to connect via AUX. Or load my music to USB stick.

My iphone 4 wont play music through the USB, but the battery will charge with a regular apple usb cable, gives a 'not compatible cable' message when plugged in. Works OK with the supplied BMW USB/3.5mm Y cable for playing music.

Memory stick works fine.

Bluetooth works fine with the iphone 4 except it wont voice dial from the address book in the phone, have to manually store names/numbers in the car or search numbers manually with the radio/steering wheel buttons.

KP49: What size (dimensions) of USB stick are you using and does the glove box close with it always left in?
Can you still store stuff in the glove box without items knocking the USB stick around and possibly it or damaging the car plug?
Does the radio have to scan/index the files on the USB drive every time you turn on the car (I'm reading it can take 10 minutes for 8GB of mp3's but they don't say if it's only when you change sticks or every car start)

For the Iphone, Apple keeps their music in cryptic folders and paths so the only way you can play from the iPhone is connect the USB plug (The car uses this to send "next song, previous song, fast forward, rewind, or play song XYZ" and to send cover art but the iPhone will not send audio over USB, it has to go through the headphone jack (Y) connector.

For Android, you might be able to have it play music from the phone (No coverart, just ID3 tag info) by selecting on your Android to turn it into "USB Mass Storage Device" once the device is connected via USB. This mode makes an android phone look like a USB stick.

Some other notes, the Car radio says it won't play DRM for other copy protected format MP3's.

Some other models of BMW let you select to play music audio via Bluetooth. I don't know if the X1 can do this, it appears BMW X1 can send phone calls over Bluetooth but it's a separate feature to do regular audio that I saw an F chasis M[35]? iDrive video where they go in and turn on not just phone audio but also music audio in iDrive.

IMO playing from a phone just appears cumbersome, which is why I'm interested in just buying a $30 32GB usb stick and leaving it plugged in the glovebox all the time, except for when I take it in to change songs or playlists.

Oh, one last note, you can use M3U playlists according to manuals I've read. You just have to put the m3u in the root path listing for where the actual mp3 files are located.

I'd be interested in seeing videos of how ?easy? it is to use the radio to play mp3's on a usb stick, browse for artists, albums, or individual songs and how well m3u playlists work. There isn't a video of this anywhere I can find showing interaction with a usb stick on the bmw professional model radio.

The usb stick is in the picture above the lighter plug, its a sandisc and ts not much larger than the plug itself, its tiny. They are great for glove compartment USB plugs since it only sticks out maybe 1/16 of an inch. I dont have any other USB plug except on the dash, at least I dont think I do. The car remembers the USB stick info, not sure what the limit is, it will even play the same track where it was left off when it was removed and put back in a day later with no delay.

My Vette, sync equipped Mustang and Dodge truck (and PC of course) play the iphone/ipod fine with just the usual apple ipod cable. Once plugged in everything is controlled by the radio, same with the X1 with the BMW cable but not the regular apple cable.

Picking tracks is a PITA with the non iDrive, all you see is two lines of text so all you see is two tracks, same with folders and sub folders. Same with phone numbers in the phone book on your BT phone.

The IPhone/pod Y cord sent with the X1's is the WRONG CORD! You must go back to your dealer and ask for the right one. My dealer put in a complaint with BMW for sending out the wrong ones. Unless we are doing something wrong... my husband's android phone only works through the aux input. It isn't compatible like the ipod.

And there is a usb stick on the glove box? interesting. I'll have to check that out, I've just been using the one in the center console and removing it to plug the iphone in has been a bit of a pain.

As for ease of use. If you load the USB stick with everything organized by artisit than albums, its super easy to use. The key is making sure everything is labeled correctly. I don't find it hard at all and I'm someone who gets frustrated by technology easily. Just use the directory button to get back to main folder (in my case the artist) and then select the artist then album you want. From there you can use the steering wheel controls to control it.

The IPhone/pod Y cord sent with the X1's is the WRONG CORD! You must go back to your dealer and ask for the right one. My dealer put in a complaint with BMW for sending out the wrong ones. Unless we are doing something wrong... my husband's android phone only works through the aux input. It isn't compatible like the ipod.

And there is a usb stick on the glove box? interesting. I'll have to check that out, I've just been using the one in the center console and removing it to plug the iphone in has been a bit of a pain.

As for ease of use. If you load the USB stick with everything organized by artisit than albums, its super easy to use. The key is making sure everything is labeled correctly. I don't find it hard at all and I'm someone who gets frustrated by technology easily. Just use the directory button to get back to main folder (in my case the artist) and then select the artist then album you want. From there you can use the steering wheel controls to control it.

The iPod Y cable that came with mine works fine, at least with an iphone 4 anyhow.

Its not hard to do anything with the tracks, if you dont mind two lines of text by the shifter Myself I just hit random and let it go, if I dont like a song I just use the steering wheel controls to skip it. My wife, who drives it the most, just listens to FM and sat radio so she doesnt care.

The glove box USB is kind of a pain to find - luckily when they prepped my car, they left the tag attached so I could find it. It is in the upper left corner of the box, inside the lip. You are kind of going in blind. Once you find it, I suppose it would be best to just leave the USB plugged in so that you don't have to do the hunt and peck.

I found it easier to upload my playlists via the cable (I didn't get a cable with the car; maybe because I have iDrive???) but my standard Apple USB cable worked fine. Once uploaded I could control through iDrive system. Could also play through Bluetooth, but not specific playlists. If I didn't like a particular choice, I could use the steering wheel controls to switch songs.

I should have quoted... I was mainly referring to the person who said they are getting the "not compatible cable" warning flash.

When did you get your car? We ordered ours in Aug. and got it in early Oct. Hopefully they have already started sending the right cable.

The 'not compatible cable' warning I got was when I tried to use a regular apple/usb cable. I didnt realize there was an additional cable until my wife found it in the owners manual packet. I just assumed the apple cable would work like my other cars but it doesnt.

The build date on ours was 9/2012, bought it last weekend and according to the dealer it was off the truck for less than a week.

The glove box USB is kind of a pain to find - luckily when they prepped my car, they left the tag attached so I could find it. It is in the upper left corner of the box, inside the lip. You are kind of going in blind. Once you find it, I suppose it would be best to just leave the USB plugged in so that you don't have to do the hunt and peck.

I found it easier to upload my playlists via the cable (I didn't get a cable with the car; maybe because I have iDrive???) but my standard Apple USB cable worked fine. Once uploaded I could control through iDrive system. Could also play through Bluetooth, but not specific playlists. If I didn't like a particular choice, I could use the steering wheel controls to switch songs.

DeeDee

My '11 E92 had iDrive and I could just use the regular cable if I remember right.

I'll look around the glovebox again, I thought I may have felt something in the upper LH corner but I didnt try to look from underneath, I was just feeling around from the drivers seat.

I tried two different USB sticks and they both worked - music appeared right away. I even loaded playlists and they worked as well. I cannot get my Galaxy S2 to connect music however... says 'loading" forever

A couple of months after we bought our car a free USB stick in the shape of a BMW key fob arrived in the mail.. only 2GB but looks good plugged in!

I tried two different USB sticks and they both worked - music appeared right away. I even loaded playlists and they worked as well. I cannot get my Galaxy S2 to connect music however... says 'loading" forever

A couple of months after we bought our car a free USB stick in the shape of a BMW key fob arrived in the mail.. only 2GB but looks good plugged in!

The IPhone/pod Y cord sent with the X1's is the WRONG CORD! You must go back to your dealer and ask for the right one. My dealer put in a complaint with BMW for sending out the wrong ones. Unless we are doing something wrong... my husband's android phone only works through the aux input. It isn't compatible like the ipod.

And there is a usb stick on the glove box? interesting. I'll have to check that out, I've just been using the one in the center console and removing it to plug the iphone in has been a bit of a pain.

As for ease of use. If you load the USB stick with everything organized by artisit than albums, its super easy to use. The key is making sure everything is labeled correctly. I don't find it hard at all and I'm someone who gets frustrated by technology easily. Just use the directory button to get back to main folder (in my case the artist) and then select the artist then album you want. From there you can use the steering wheel controls to control it.

I had the same problem - original BMW Apple cable didn't work... dealer replaced the BMW Apple cable with the correct one for free.